GeneralDisorder

I would definitely install the SPFI. The Carter/Weber is a notoriously difficult carb. The Hitachi's were actually better if you can believe that GD

Yes - all SPFI's had a neutral switch. It's the 90+ that ALSO have a clutch switch. GD

Heh. I see the problem now. I just went and looked in my 83 hatch and the pedal stop is indeed not there. It's just an L shaped bracket that bolts to the pedal assembly (holes are already there), and then you insert the rubber pad into the existing hole in the pedal. So I should have said that you need the CC switch, AND the bracket that bolts it to the pedal assembly IF you have a pre-'83.5 clutch pedal assembly. '83.5+ have a different clutch cable and the pedal assembly comes with a bolt (non-switch) that you replace with the switch style for CC installations. But the older pedal assembly will accept the bracket and the switch along with the rubber stopper pad. It's just like the brake light switch "bolt", but it's on the clutch pedal. Sorry about the further confusion. If my camera weren't broken at the moment I would take pictures to illustrate what I'm talking about. In this pic from my write up, the "L" bracket that the switch is bolted to is simply attached with two bolts to existing holes in the pedal assembly. The holes, and the spot for the rubber pad are present on my 83 hatch, but the bracket is not, nor is the switch. All EA81's were equipped for installation of option "dealer" installed cruise control - so all the pedal assemblies should have the provision for it. See my write up on EA81 clutch cable's for the differences in the older and newer style cable, and how it's mounted to the pedal assembly: http://home.comcast.net/~trilinear/clutch.html GD

Correct - you win a cookie. GD

The car could EASILY have been converted to 2WD. Actually much easier than converting to 4WD. There is NO WAY the VIN is a "mistake". It simply could not happen. Either the car WAS 4WD, or the dash was FROM a 4WD. It's that simple. Check the VIN on the firewall - that one can't be changed. GD

On his EA81, the dipstick is on the rear of the engine, passenger side side behind the air filter box. Only EA82's and newer have the dipsick up front. As long as it had pressure.... ball bearing couldn't really come from the oil pump, and there's no other ball bearings that I can think of in the EA81, so it must have fallen into the filler cap or down the dip-stick tube. That would be my guess anyway. GD

Make sure the air filter is clean. Check for vac leaks as Skip mentions above. Are there any codes present? CEL on? Clean the idle air controller and the MAF, check the CTS for proper resistance, and the TPS idle switch for correct adjustment/function. If you still have the problem after that, there's more detailed stuff you can get into. GD

Sure - that will definately give you a good start. Personally, I'm going with a wideband unit that is a bit more accurate. But for your purposes, just a regular narrow band such as that is more useful than nothing at all. Narrow band (almost all vehicles) is a 0 to 1 volt signal O2 sensor. Wideband (very few vehicles, around $250+) is a 0 to 5 volt O2 sensor with much more complex "controller". GD

EA81 pump and bracket should work. They mount way off to the side. The belt is long, and expensive. Shouldn't be too hard to run some new hoses from the EA82 rack to the EA81 pump. GD

It's interesting that people keep pointing that out, yet few have realized how simple it is to mod out the stock air cleaner box to fit on top of the Weber. You just buy a $15 Weber DGV air filter with housing from EMPI, and use the bottom plate. You cut out the bottom of the stock kidney-bean filter box and JB weld in the section that bolts down to the Weber. This allows you to hookup basically everything that the Hitachi had, and the few lines that don't directly hookup to the carb can be mocked up to look as though they do. With all of the lines and the actual carb hidden completely under that massive filter box, it remains only to tune it properly - which is fairly straightforward either with some trial & error, or especially with a A/F gauge. The smog morons are only looking for certain things (the ASV's, and the charcoal canistor, etc) to be IN PLACE. They cannot verify that these devices work. Their only actual metric is what comes out the tail-pipe. Passive systems such as the evap. for the tank and float bowl are not testable in any way. They only want to SEE them. As long as they see them there's no need for them to function, or even be actually hooked to anything as long as they "dissapear" under the filter box. They aren't going to take your engine bay apart to verify that you haven't shoved ball bearings in half the lines..... Appearances are everything to the smog nazi - as long as it looks like an 80's subaru, and you look like you don't give a fast flying fardle about anything automotive related.... they aren't going to question it. It helps imensly to understand the various devices employed for emmissions puposes on the stock Hitachi carbs (feedback or non) - once you grasp the technical side of it, it's easy to either adapt the Weber to work with them, or realize they aren't neccesary - even in CA. GD

Absolutely! There's a lot to the wireing. And I don't prefess to have the end-all-be-all of write-up's on the subject. I wrote that durring an unemployed phase of my life AFTER I had done two conversions. The wiring portion could be done better, and I intend to improve it when I do the next one as it will be easier for me to take the time to produce pictures and lay things out as I go. I have improved the production of my harnesses each time I have done one as I become more familar with how aspects of the conversion are affected by things done at that first, most critical stage of wiring. The harness preperation is by FAR the biggest roadblock to getting other people to try out SPFI with the EA81. If it were simple, then everyone would have it and no one would be buying Weber's. I have to disagree with you and say that I'm 99% certain you just don't understand what the CC switch is, or how it's mounted. To the uninitiated, the CC switch location looks like a stop bolt that contacts a rubber pad on the clutch pedal and stops it's upward motion when you let your foot off the pedal. It IS there - it has to be or the pedal wouldn't stop. This bolt is removed, and the CC switch mount in that location so that it closes each time the pedal is released. I'm sorry I wasn't more clear on this. But it IS there, and had I been more clear you probably wouldn't have had to do all that extra work. Oh yeah - it's definately easier to have a whole donor car at your disposal as I had the first time around. Plus a lot of parts cars in the yards around here. GD

Your injector may be leaking, or the fuel pressure regulator may be allowing more than 21 psi through the system. Higher pressure, or a leaking injector will show as high fuel consumption. Cars should seriously come stock with A/F ratio meters for problems like this. And fraknly, for what you are losing in gas mileage, you could probably easily pay back the investment in one. You might also want to check the valve timing. Even a single tooth off can run *almost* correctly, but the mileage will be horrible. My co-worker just found his timing off a tooth after owning his car for a YEAR. Needless to say he's seeing the whole vehicle in a different light now. GD

You simply are not going to be able to find the control arm online through a parts lookup. And even if you do you will still need the bearings and the spindle - they don't come with a control arm. It's either a control arm, or a trailing arm - depending on who you talk to. But seriously - PM Jerry - he will be able to help you I'm sure. Frankly if it were me, I would have that thing apart in 20 minutes. Doesn't look that bad off. Pound out the old spindle with a deadblow, heat up the bearing housing around the nut area with a mapp gas torch or an oxy-torch, and spin that ring nut out with a brass drift. New bearings, a used spindle and you are down the road. GD

Since when? There were problems with it last I checked... GD

Huh?!? There's exactly ONE sensor and an intake manifold.... how is that "too many"? You should probably take opinions from people who have actually done this mod. Or written about it even! The performace is good. The reliability is amazing, and the driveability is nothing a carb could ever touch. If you have the means, then I highly reccomend you give it a try. It's generally cheaper than a Weber as well. GD

How do you know it was a spun bearing? Could be a wrist pin, or a rod bearing. Could be a lot of things really.... My bet would be on a broken rod that just didn't happen to fly through the block like they normally do. But to really know you would have to tear it down. GD

It would not be a "mistake". If it's not 4WD, then the vehicle has been modified, or the dash is not original. Look at the VIN on the title. That's the only one that matters. It sucks if that says it's a 4WD and it's not because insurance companies will insure it according to the VIN, and they charge more for 4WD's. My 2WD wagon that's been converted to 4WD is cheaper than a real 4WD to insure. I even tried to tell them it was 4WD now (I converted it)..... they just said "we go by the VIN" and wouldn't listen to me. Their loss I suppose. GD

That simply is not true. The fuel pressure regulator vac line cannot be removed and still have the SPFI run correctly. Besides - he shouldn't be attempting this till he understands what each of these devices does, and what he is potentially losing should he remove them. There are pro's and con's to each. Also you aren't going to get a single ounce of extra performance for your trouble. So unless you just like things to look clean, you shouldn't touch it. GD

The 85 will not have the neutral switch for the SPFI. This will result in a CEL if you don't rewire the switch to something like a cruise control "bolt" switch on the pedal. You could also swap to the 87 to 89 "black" ECU and then wire the neutral switch pin to the Loyale's existing clutch switch. All the light switches (backup, 4WD, etc) will need to be rewired as the connectors are wrong on the 85. Mechanically it will bolt up. Use an XT6 clutch if you want better performance. GD

The low on FT4WD's is only 1.2:1, and the diff is 3.7 unless you do a custom build. That makes them basically the same as the high range on a 3.9 D/R when they are in low. So in a sense they really don't have low at all, but rather a "higher" high. The low on a normal part-time 4WD is 1.59:1, and the diff is 3.9. Making them a completely different animal. Much more suited to slow speeds. The 3.7 (in high range) can give better fuel econemy, but it's really designed for the higher power output of the turbo's that it came on, and to be able to run in 4WD all the time without breaking stuff. GD

Dealership, if you don't value your first-born. Contact Jerry (Bratsrus1). He lives in your area and may be able to direct you to a place that has what you need or may have it himself. GD

That is definately a 4WD control arm. Refer to my previous post on how to fix it as it was correct. I'm fairly certain what you are seeing is the very tip of the DOJ joint, complete with dust sheild. It looks to have been cut - through the end of the joint, and through the splined spindle. Ostensibly because the axle was rust frozen to the splines. You can see the bearing ring nut beneath that trashed dust sheild.... GD

Leave it be unless you know what it does. SPFI (any FI) is not to be trifled with till you understand it. Once you understand it, you will no longer need to ask this question. GD

'89 STD Hatchback.... Replace EA71 with an EA81 and install the EA82 SPFI, and the EA82 5 speed D/R. Add a 3 gauge cluster with oil pressure, volts, and coolant temp. That would be THE most reliable combination possible. Done right and properly maintained I could easily see such a machine going well over 500k. If you absolutely must have "turn-key" then a 90 to 94 Legacy is the best bet. Not only easy to maintain, but parts availibility is excelent for at least the next 10 years or more. GD

The cone washer, and possibly it's seat in the wheel hub are worn out. Replace both. Replace the axle as the splines are shot from working around loose on the hub splines. Replace the nut (probably comes with the axle), sping washer and cotter pin for good measure. Been here a few times - got the t-shirt, etc. Trust me - I know it sucks, but it's the only way to stop the madness. Place the spring washer on a flat table surface and press on the edge with your finger tip. If the opposite edge rises off the table, the side you are touching goes IN. The edge of the spring washer should contact the edge of the cone washer, and the middle of the spring washer should contact the nut. GD